Personally, i only do agree to a certain extend. Firstly, the economic of Singapore was facing declining entrepot and economic wasnt good. Also Singapore have only one natural resources which is human therefore, there is a need for Singapore to import natural resources.
Unfortunately, Malaya introduced import and export tariffs on goods traded between the two countries. Therefore by setting up a common market would enable Singapore to trade the goods freely which will encourage more industries to be develop in Singapore to boast our economic growth and solve our economical problems. Also by merging, more jobs would be available for Singaporean to solve the jobless problem which Singapore faced.The other factor is that Singapore had full self government at that moment. Therefore, the next step for Singapore is to break freely from the British, so by merging with malaya would break Singapore free from the british. About 71% of Singaporean voted to merge wif Malaya in order to be full independent shows the determination of Singaporean. But i still personally think the economical problems are still more important reason than full independent as a independent country with an poor economic will not survive but instead a colonie country with good economic will survive. Therefore i still feel that independent isnt the main reason but only part of the reason.
Lastly, the communist in Singapore is increasing their power since BS is formed and it weakened the power of PAP. Therefore by merging with Malayan could solve the communist problem. But i only agree that this reason is only part of the merger but the main reason is still economic.
So in my conclusion, i agree to certain extend that setting up common market the reason because both communist and independent are also the reasons of the PAP's decision.
Feel free to comment :D
~M.KwanG~
